5.  The applicants are:
1) Mr Akhmed Ismailov, born in 1949,
2) Mr Alkhazur Ismailov, born in 1985,
3) Mr Shamil (also spelled Shamal) Ismailov, born in 1995,
4) Ms Ruman Sokayeva (also spelled as Rumani or Khumana Sakayeva), born in 1963,
5) Mr Aslambek Merzhoyev (also spelled as Aslambek Merzhuyev), born in 1990,
6) Ms Kheda Merzhoyeva (also spelled as Kheda Merzhuyeva), born in 1981,
7) Ms Zalina Merzhoyeva (also known as Aset Merzhoyeva), born in 1979,
8) Ms Petimat Ismailova, born in 1964,
9) Ms Kheda Idrisova (also known as Ismailova), born in 1981,
10) Mr Ramzan Ismailov, born in 1982,
11) Ms Khazan Ismailova, born in 1984,
12) Ms Larisa Ismailova, born in 1986,
13) Ms Laila Ismailova, born in 1990,
14) Mr Rizvan Ismailov, born in 1992,
15) Ms Tanzila Ismailova, born in 1994,
16) Mr Iles (also spelled as Ilez) Ismailov, born in 1995,
17) Ms Medna Ismailova, born in 1997,
18) Mr Ibragim Ismailov, born in 1999,
19) Ms Makka Ismailova, born in 2001,
20) Ms Markha Ismailova, born in 2001,
21) Ms Liman Ismailova, born in 2003.
6.  The applicants are four families of Russian nationals who live in Achkhoy-Martan, Chechnya. All four applicant families are related to each other. The first applicant is the father of Aslambek (also spelled as Aslanbek) Ismailov, who was born in 1979, and Aslan Ismailov, who was born in 1981. The second applicant family consists of applicants 2-4. The fourth applicant is the wife of Khizir Ismailov, who was born in 1962; applicants 2 and 3 are his children. The third applicant family consist of applicants 5-7, who are the children of Yusi Daydayev, who was born in 1953. The fourth applicant family consists of applicants 8-21. The eighth applicant is the wife of Yaragi Ismailov, who was born in 1956; applicants 9-21 are his children.
7.  The facts of the case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows.
8.  At the material time the town of Achkhoy-Martan was under the full control of the Russian federal forces. Checkpoints manned by Russian servicemen were located on the roads leading to and from the settlement. The applicant families lived close to each other in two households situated at no. 15a and no. 22 in Orekhova Street, Achkhoy-Martan. The first house was located about 500 metres away from the nearest federal forces checkpoint.
9.  On the night of 13-14 January 2003 the first applicant, his sons Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov and other relatives were sleeping at home at 15a Orekhova Street.  At about 4 a.m. an APC (armoured personnel carrier) with a group of armed men in camouflage uniforms drove through their gate. About ten men got out of the APC and ran into the house. They spoke Russian without accent and were wearing masks and helmets. They neither identified themselves nor produced any documents. The family members thought they were Russian military servicemen.
10.  The servicemen searched the house; they neither explained to the residents what they were looking for nor asked for identity documents. They took Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov into the yard, kicked them and threw them into the APC. The brothers were not allowed to put on any warm clothing. The officers ignored their mother's questions concerning the reason for her sons' being taken away.
11.  The first applicant's wife ran after her sons into the street. She saw several APCs, a military Ural car and groups of Russian military servicemen standing along the street. The vehicles were parked next to different houses with their engines running. The soldiers, who were waiting next to the vehicles, threatened to kill the locals if the latter went outside. The vehicles with the first applicant's sons drove away to an unknown destination.
b. Abduction of Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev
12.  At the material time the second and fourth applicant families lived at 22 Orekhova Street. Their household consisted of three dwellings in one yard. It was situated about 300 metres away from the first applicant's house and a few hundred metres away from the nearest Russian military forces checkpoint.
13.  On the night of 13-14 January 2003 Yusi Daydayev was visiting the applicants and staying in the first house. Khizir Ismailov and his family were sleeping in the second house; Yaragi Ismailov and his family were in the third one.
14.  At about 4 a. m. a group of armed men in camouflage uniforms broke into Yusi Daydayev's house. It appears that the men beat him up, as the applicants heard him screaming.
15.  Another group of intruders knocked on the door of the second house. When Khizir Ismailov opened the door, they rushed in, forced everyone to lie down on the floor and took Khizir Ismailov away.
16.  The last group of four armed men broke into the third house and took away Yaragi Ismailov. The intruders asked the eighth applicant to bring his passport. While she went to fetch it, the men took her husband outside. The eighth applicant attempted to follow them, but the intruders drove away. None of the men were allowed to put on warm clothing.
17.  The intruders who raided the household at 22 Orekhnova Street and took away Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev were wearing masks and helmets. They spoke unaccented Russian and used swear words. They neither introduced themselves nor produced any documents. The applicants thought they were Russian military servicemen.
18.  According to the applicants and their neighbours, eight APCs and a military Ural car were parked in Orekhova Street while Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev were being taken away.
19.  It appears that after Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev were taken away the military vehicles drove towards Samashki village and stopped in the area of the local wheat processing plant, where Russian troops were stationed.
20.  On 23 January 2004 the Achkhoy-Martan district court granted the eighth applicant's claim and declared Yaragi Ismailov a missing person as of 15 January 2003.
21.  The description of the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the applicants' relatives is based on the following documents: an account by Mr V.R. given on 3 August 2005; an account by Ms Z. Kh. given on 3 August 2005; an account by the fourth applicant given on 14 August 2005 and an account by the first applicant's wife Ms M. D. given on 14 August 2005.
22.  The Government did not challenge most of the facts as presented by the applicants. According to their submission “at about 4 a.m. on 14 January 2003 unidentified armed men in camouflage uniforms and masks, who were driving Ural vehicles and APCs, arrived at Orekhova Street in Achkhoy‑Martan, Chechnya, abducted and took away from house no. 15 Aslanbek Ismailov, who was born in 1979, and Aslan Ismailov, who was born in 1981, and from house no. 22 Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev.”
23.  On 23 January 2004 the Achkhoy-Martan district court declared Yaragi Ismailov a missing person with effect from 15 January 2003.
24.  Immediately after her relatives were taken away the eighth applicant called the Achkhoy-Martan district department of the interior (the ROVD) and complained that they had been abducted. The officers told her that they could not do anything about it.
25.  In the morning of 14 January 2003 the applicants complained to a number of State authorities, including the ROVD, the Achkhoy-Martan district prosecutor's office (the district prosecutor's office), the Achkhoy‑Martan district department of the Federal Security Service (the FSB) and the Achkhoy-Martan district military commander's office (the district military commander's office), that their relatives had been abducted.
26.  Since 14 January 2003 the applicants have repeatedly applied in person and in writing to various public bodies. They have been supported in their efforts by the SRJI NGO. In their letters to the authorities the applicants referred to their relatives' detention and asked for assistance and details of the investigation. Mostly these enquiries have remained unanswered, or purely formal replies have been given in which the applicants' requests have been forwarded to various prosecutors' offices. The applicants submitted some of the letters to the authorities and the replies to the Court, which are summarised below.
27.  In the morning of 14 January 2003 a group of representatives of the district prosecutor's office examined the crime scene and questioned the witnesses.
28.  On 17 January 2003 the district prosecutor's office instituted an investigation into the abduction of Aslambek Ismailov, Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev under Article 126 § 2 of the Criminal Code (aggravated kidnapping). The criminal case file was given the number 44009.
29.  On 17 March 2003 the district prosecutor's office informed the applicants that on an unspecified date the investigation in criminal case no. 44009 had been suspended for failure to establish the identities of the perpetrators.
30.  On 21 March 2003 the Chechnya prosecutor's office forwarded the first applicant's complaint about his relatives' abduction to the district prosecutor's office for examination.
31.  On 31 March and 24 April 2003 the Chechnya prosecutor's office informed the first applicant that on 23 January 2003 the district prosecutor had instructed the investigators to take a number of additional operational search measures to establish the whereabouts of the abducted men and identify the perpetrators. The text of the letter of 31 March 2003 also stated:
“....the investigation established that the applicant's relatives had been abducted by unidentified servicemen in military vehicles; however, the investigators were unable to establish to which military units these vehicles had belonged.”
 32.  On 30 September 2003 the district prosecutor's office informed the first applicant that they had examined his complaint about ineffectiveness of the investigation in criminal case no. 44009. As a result, the proceedings had been resumed and the investigators had been instructed to verify the supposition that the abducted men were being detained on the premises of the operational search bureau of the Ministry of the Interior (the ORB) in Grozny ('ОРБ').
33.  On 24 October 2003 the deputy head of the Achkhoy-Martan district administration wrote to the district prosecutor's office requesting that the investigators find out whether the abducted men were being detained on the premises of the 6th department of the Main Intelligence Service of the Ministry of Defence ('6-й отдел ГРУ') in Grozny.
34.  On 31 October 2003 the deputy head of the Achkhoy-Martan district administration informed the first applicant that the authorities' reply to his request of 24 October 2003 stated that the investigation in criminal case no. 44009 had been suspended on 26 June 2003 for failure to establish the identities of the perpetrators; that it had been resumed on 1 October 2003; and that on an unspecified date the investigators had forwarded to the ORB in Grozny a request for assistance in the search for the abducted men.
35.  On 1 November 2003 the district prosecutor's office suspended the investigation in criminal case no. 44009 for failure to establish the identities of the perpetrators and informed the applicants.
36.  On 14 January 2004 the Chief Military Prosecutor's office forwarded the first applicant's complaint about his relatives' abduction to the military prosecutor's office of the United Group Alignment (the military prosecutor's office of the UGA) for examination.
37.  On 7 February and 4 March 2005 the military prosecutor's office of the UGA forwarded the first applicant's complaints about the abduction to the military prosecutor's office of military unit no. 20102 for examination.
38.  On 10 and 12 March 2005 the military prosecutors' offices of military unit no. 20102 and the UGA informed the first applicant that the examination of his complaints had not established any involvement of Russian military servicemen in his relatives' abduction.
39.  On 8 June 2005 the Chechnya prosecutor's office forwarded the first applicant's complaint about the abduction to the district prosecutor's office for examination.
40.  On 28 July 2008 the investigators informed the applicants that on the same date they had suspended the investigation in the criminal case for failure to establish the identities of the perpetrators.
41.  The Government submitted that the district prosecutor's office had received the applicants' complaints about the abduction of their relatives by “unidentified armed men in camouflage uniforms, who had arrived in APCs”, on 14 January 2003.
42.  On 14 January 2003 investigators from the district prosecutor's office conducted a crime scene examination at nos. 15a and 22 Orekhova Street in Achkhoy-Martan. Nothing was collected from the scene.
43.  On 14 January 2003 the investigators questioned the fourth applicant; on 21 January 2003 the investigators granted her victim status in the criminal case and questioned her again. The applicant stated that on the night of 14 January 2003 she and her family had been sleeping at home at 22 Orekhova Street. At about 4 a.m. she had heard some noise and gone to the window. She saw a military Kamaz ('Kамаз') lorry next to the house; as it was dark she could not see whether the vehicle had registration numbers. Then someone knocked at the door; her husband Khizir Ismailov opened it and two armed military servicemen in camouflage uniforms and masks entered the house. They ordered everyone to lie down on the floor. Having checked the rooms, the armed men left with Khizir Ismailov. One of them took his passport. After that the intruders went to the house of Yaragi Ismailov and took him away in an APC which had arrived at the house. When she went outside she saw the eighth applicant in the yard, who told her that unidentified armed men had also taken their relatives Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev and driven them away in APCs to an unknown destination. After that the fourth applicant ran out in the street and saw a convoy of six or seven APCs and the Kamaz lorry driving away along Sovetskaya Street.
44.  On 17 January 2003 the district prosecutor's office opened criminal case no. 44009 in connection with the abduction of the applicants' relatives and informed the applicants.
45.  On 21 January 2003 the investigators questioned the first applicant, who stated that on 14 January 2003 he had been at work in Grozny. At about 10 a.m. he had learnt that around 4 a.m. the previous night his sons, Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, his brothers Khizir and Yaragi Ismailov and his brother-in-law Yusi Daydayev had been abducted by unidentified armed men in APCs. From the Government's submission it follows that the applicant was questioned again on 22 January 2003, but the contents of this statement were not disclosed by the Government.
46.  On an unspecified date the investigators questioned Ms M.D., the mother of Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, who stated that on the night of 13‑14 January 2003 she had been at home at 15a Orekhova Street with her two sons and daughter. At about 4 a.m. she had gone into the yard and seen an APCs with armed men in camouflage uniforms and masks sitting on top of it. Next to the house she saw her brother-in-law, Khizir Ismailov, several APCs and a lorry with armed men in camouflage uniforms and masks. After that the armed men took her sons Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov outside and drove them away. About ten minutes later a convoy of seven or eight APCs and a lorry drove down the street. The vehicles did not have registration numbers. After that the witness went to her relatives' house at 22 Orekhova Street where she found out about the abduction of her brother Yusi Daydayev and her brothers-in-law Khizir Ismailov and Yaragi Ismailov.
47.  On 21 January 2003 the investigators questioned the eighth applicant, who stated that on the night of 14 January 2003 she and her family members had been at home at 22 Orekhova Street. At about 4 a.m. they had heard screams and noise. Her husband Yaragi Ismailov went outside. He returned and said that military servicemen were on the street. After that two armed men in camouflage uniforms and masks entered the house. They made Yaragi Ismailov lie down on the floor and then ordered him to put his clothing on. The men walked through the rooms and took Yaragi Ismailov, who was barefoot, into the yard where more military servicemen were waiting.
48.  On 27 January 2003 the investigators questioned an officer of the ROVD, Mr U.S. He stated that on the night of 14 January 2003 he had been on duty at the police station. At about 5 a.m. the ROVD received information that unidentified armed men in Ural lorries and APCs had abducted five residents from Orekhova Street that is Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev. The officer immediately informed about it the head of the ROVD, the district department of the FSB and the district military commander's office. After that he sent a group of investigators to the crime scene. Meanwhile, police unit no. 3, stationed next to the cemetery on the outskirts of Achkhoy‑Martan, informed him by radio that a convoy of armoured vehicles was leaving Achkhoy-Martan. About ten to fifteen minutes later the unit reported that the convoy was returning to the settlement. The officer ordered them to watch the convoy's movement. After the convoy drove back into the town, it became impossible to track its movements. According to the information received by the witness from the FSB and the district military commander's office, their units were not participating in a special operation and had not left the base. Therefore, it was impossible to establish the owners of the convoy of armoured vehicles.
49.  On 28 March 2003 the investigators questioned an officer of the ROVD, Mr D.A. He stated that he worked as a district police officer in Achkhoy-Martan. At about 4 a.m. on 14 January 2003 a group of unidentified armed men in APCs and Ural lorries had arrived at Orekhova Street, where from house no. 15a they had abducted Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov and from house no. 22 Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev. In connection with this he and another officer from the ROVD had taken operational search measures; however, it was impossible to establish the whereabouts of the abducted men and the owners of the APCs and the lorries.
50.  On 28 April 2003 the investigators questioned the head of the Achkhoy-Martan administration, Mr S.Kh. He stated that in January 2003 unidentified armed men in APCs and Ural lorries had taken away five residents from Orekhova Street, namely Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev. In connection with this he had taken measures to establish their whereabouts and requested information about the disappeared men from the ROVD and the district military commander's office. However, these agencies did not have any relevant information.
51.  On 25, 26, 28 and 29 April and 5 May 2003 the investigators questioned five officers of the ROVD, all of whom provided similar statements. According to the officers, at the material time they had been serving at checkpoints nos. 1, 2 and 3 located on the bridge over the river Foranga and at a place called Vodozabor. During their duty hours, from 8 a.m. on 13 January to 8 a.m. on 14 January 2003, the APCs and lorries had not passed through the checkpoints.
52.  On 13 May 2003 the investigators again questioned the first applicant, who stated that after the abduction he had complained to various law enforcement agencies, but to no avail. He and his relatives had been searching for the abducted men and meeting other people whose relatives had also been abducted. One of these men had informed him that his sons and Yusi Daydayev had been initially detained in Khankala, Chechnya, and then transferred to the Republic of North Ossetia, either to Mozdok or Vladikavkaz.
53.  On 28 September 2003 the first applicant wrote to the district prosecutor and stated that he had received information about the detention of his abducted relatives on the premises of the 6th department of the ORB ('6-й отдел ОРБ') located on the Staropromyslovskiy main highway in Grozny. The applicant requested that the investigators took measures to verify this information. On the same date the applicant was questioned and reiterated his request.
54.  On 30 September 2003 the district prosecutor's office informed the first applicant that the investigation in the criminal case had been resumed because it was necessary to take investigative measures and verify the information concerning the detention of the abducted men on the premises of the 6th department of the ORB in Grozny.
55.  On 1 November 2003 the investigation in the criminal case was suspended for failure to establish the identities of the perpetrators.
56.  On 26 October 2006 the eighth applicant's lawyer requested that the investigators provide him with access to the entire content of the criminal case file. On 9 November 2006 the investigators partially granted his request, stating that he was allowed to access only the documents reflecting the eighth applicant's participation in the proceedings. The document stated that full access to the case file would be granted only on completion of the investigation.
57.  On an unspecified date the investigators questioned the applicants' neighbour, Mr V.M., who stated that on the night of 14 January 2003 he had been sleeping at home, at 19 Orekhova Street in Achkhoy-Martan. At about 4 a.m. he had heard some noise and gone outside. He saw a convoy of seven APCs in Orekhova Street; soldiers were jumping out of the vehicles and taking up combat positions. Several minutes later he heard women screaming. When he saw the servicemen going into the Ismailov family house he thought they were looting and called the police. About five minutes later the convoy drove away towards the centre of Achkhoy‑Martan. There, driving along the central street, the vehicles continued in the direction of Katyr-Yurt in Achkhoy-Martan district. After the servicemen left, he found out that they had taken away his neighbours Aslambek and Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev.
58.  On an unspecified date the investigators received a letter from the Special Envoy of the Russian President in the Chechen Republic for Rights and Freedoms (“the Envoy”), stating that the first applicant had complained to him about the abduction of his relatives by federal servicemen under the command of colonel L.Ch.
59.  On unspecified dates the investigators forwarded requests to the military prosecutor's office of military unit no. 20102 in Khankala and the Chechnya FSB, asking whether the abducted men were being detained on their premises. According to the replies, these agencies had not conducted any special operations in Achkhoy-Martan at the material time and had not detained the applicants' relatives.
60.  On unspecified dates the investigators forwarded requests to various law enforcement agencies in Chechnya and the Northern Caucasus, including prosecutors' offices and military commanders' offices, asking for any information these agencies had concerning the abducted men. According to the replies, no information was available; no criminal proceedings were pending against the abducted men, no special operations had been conducted against them, they had not applied for medical help, their corpses had not been found and no custody records were available in respect of them.
61.  On an unspecified date the investigators forwarded a request to the ORB in Grozny, asking whether they had arrested and detained the applicants' relatives. According to the agency's reply, they had not arrested or detained them.
62.  The Government further submitted that although the investigation had failed to establish the whereabouts of Aslambek Ismailov, Aslan Ismailov, Yaragi Ismailov, Khizir Ismailov and Yusi Daydayev, it was still in progress and all necessary investigative and operational search measures were being taken to solve the crime.
63.  Despite specific requests by the Court the Government did not disclose most of the contents of criminal case no. 44009, providing copies of only twenty-two documents. They stated that the investigation was in progress and that disclosure of the documents would be in violation of Article 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, since the file contained personal data concerning the witnesses or other participants in the criminal proceedings.